Close Together Yet Far Apart (Firewind)

Chapter 24- Peaches and Cream (1)

"Fire Spirit...?"

The door creaked as it opened slightly, with Wind Archer entering the room, holding the Dragon's Bead in his hand. The glow became brighter as it neared the sleeping Fire Spirit.

He quietly lit up the fireplace and gently set the dragon's bead in the middle of it, as Pitaya has instructed. He flinched as he heard Fire Spirit make a small noise and immediately stumbled over to his bed, fearing he was hurt.

Nope. Wind Archer let out a sigh of relief as he watched the fire "god" shift in his sleep, clutching the blanket like it was a plush toy.

He looked... kind of adorable...?

He had this sort of blush on him, and a small smile in between. He let out content noises now and then. He looked comfy in his blanket, curled up in a ball again like he did when Wind Archer took him out of the rain.

That seems to just be his preferred sleeping position, though it kinda makes him look like a baby.

Wind Archer absentmindedly reached down to touch Fire Spirit's face, feeling the warmth of his soft cheeks spread to his hand.

Then he flinched again when Fire Spirit suddenly grabbed his entire arm and proceeded to hug it.

Shit.

Wind Archer tried to pull his arm out but not waking up Fire Spirit at the same time. Fire Spirit hanged on, and now has his entire body wrapped around his poor arm.

Wind Archer started sweating, partly from not knowing what to do about this and partly because Fire Spirit is starting to cook his limb (not literally but it's really hot).

He jerked his arm a little, trying to wriggle out of the hold. It seemed to work, so Wind Archer repeated that until his arm was almost free, but all that pulling caused Fire Spirit to wake up. And he couldn't react fast enough to get out of the room due to shock.

Fuck.

He watched, frozen as Fire Spirit's eyes slowly opened, and Fire Spirit almost jumped when regained his senses and noticed Wind Archer staring at him.

...and the fact that both his hands were on the wind god's arm.

Awkward silence fills the room.

Fire Spirit immediately let go of his arm, blushing an insane amount of red, and muttered something Wind Archer couldn't make out.

Another period of awkward silence.

"...I'm sorry. I'll leave..."

Wind Archer turned around to head out, but was stopped when he felt his arm being held back.

He turned around in surprise, to see Fire Spirit's hand on his arm again, gripping it tight.

"C-can you...?" Fire Spirit muttered, looking away. His hand was still on Wind Archer's arm.

"Can you please stay...?"

"...Huh?"

"Nothing...!" Fire Spirit immediately tried to hide his face with the blanket.

But Wind Archer sat down on Fire Spirit's bed nonetheless, and Fire Spirit blushed an insane amount of red when he felt the bed sink near his chest.

It was silent for a while.

"...do you wish to talk to me?"

"No... I just like company."

"Oh. Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah. Much better." he smiled a bit.

Silence again.

"Fire Spirit, look I— I'm so sorry..."

"...It's ok. You already fixed my bead, haven't you?"

"But I... I hurt you... And I just assumed things about you. You didn't deserve that..."

"Well, we can't change what already happened, anyway. And I don't think you'll be trying to kill me anymore... I hope. And I appreciated you trying to help me before, but I was still letting things sink in. That's why I wasn't talking to you. But I'm better now. I forgive you, Wind Archer."

Then he smiled. Not a cocky smile, just a small, warm one.

He reminded Wind Archer so much of the tree.

And despite all that, he still felt so guilty. He didn't deserve to be forgiven so easily. He looked down at his hands.

He watched as Fire Spirit laid down again, still hugging the blanket really tightly. For some reason, that bothered him.

"Fire...?"

"Hmm?" Fire Spirit hummed, clutching the blanket.

"...May I hug you?"

...

Sorry this was a bit rushed LOL I JUST WANT TO WRITE ABOUT THEM CUDDLING AHHHHHHH